Goal tending future? Cap flexibility? Past playoff failures? Sharks mega-mailbag, part 2 – `

One of the big takeaways from the day Doug Wilson announced he was stepping down as general manager of the Sharks was yet another affirmation from president Jonathan Becher and now-interim GM Joe Will that the franchise will, regardless of who Wilson’s replacement is, continue with its current short- and long-term plans.

That means trying to make the playoffs next season and trying to build its way back to being a Stanley Cup contender with the current group of core veterans and prospects in place. It was essentially another opportunity for the club’s top decision-makers to say, “Nope, we’re still not thinking about rebuilding,” and to reaffirm that owner Hasso Plattner isn’t interested in such a path.

That doesn’t mean that every key member of the organization is going to be safe in the coming months. While the overall direction of the franchise seems defined, the incoming GM is going to have leeway about who is going to be part of it.

“If we come to the conclusion that the right person for our franchise ends up doing an overhaul, that’s the decision we’ll take,” Becher said. “That is not the expectation we start with, but if that is what happens during the process, we’ll learn that in the process.”

Will, who has been with the organization since the beginning, said he hopes to be part of the next management team. Mug was a little more forceful in his support of Will. The Sharks believe they have a strong foundation and are looking for someone to build and improve from what they think is a pretty good starting point.

Another big question moving forward will be the coaching staff, but the timing of the GM hire could be an interesting factor here.